Who we are

We are an independent and unique play venue with parents and children in mind and curiosity and adventure at our heart.

Children, alongside their parents, can explore our open-plan indoor and outdoor setting filled with exciting teacher-crafted nooks of sensory, creative and imaginative play.

Meet the Team

We are Vickie and Stephanie, PLAY NOOKS’ co-founders. We met at our local park six years ago and got chatting while pushing our children on the swings. We share a background in Early/Primary Education and are passionate about great play experiences indoors and out. 

We now have six children between us, and as busy mums, we wanted a play venue that not only values the importance of play for development and happiness but also meets the needs of parents. 



  • Co-Founder

    Hi, I’m Stephanie. I trained as a Primary School Teacher at Homerton, Cambridge University, and I have worked in a variety of schools and ages.

    I’ve always loved teaching lessons in creative and engaging ways where children learn through play. I particularly love using a book as a springboard for fun and interactive provisions that nurture independence and growth. There are not many things more rewarding than seeing a child’s curiosity sparked by a perfectly created activity! 

    Since becoming a mum to my two girls, Eliza and Georgia, sharing fun learning opportunities has become a rewarding and important part of our day. While my children were little, I was fortunate to have time to run the local toddler group in Banham, focusing on creative and sensory play centred around a weekly theme.

    Since then, I’ve also worked for Norfolk County Council, running courses for parents looking to support their children in English and maths.

  • Co-Founder

    Hi, I’m Vickie, a mum of four. I’m passionate about Early Years Education and Child Development. I value play for children of all ages and love facilitating great play opportunities, which provide the hands-on groundwork for the theories and concepts children will learn throughout their education.

    As an Early Years teacher, I’ve worked with hundreds of children and know that the best learning happens when children are engaged and focused on a self-chosen activity. 

    I know that with a more formal education ethos currently available to our school-aged children, it is important that children have the opportunity to learn by ‘doing’ as early as possible, whether it’s pouring, measuring, building, or pedalling. These skills will all build the foundation for their learning. 

    Having four young children, three cats, a dog, and a very hardworking husband means I can't commit to teaching as a profession anymore.   

    I’ve spent recent years raising my brood, leading early years groups and volunteering as a Parent and Toddler group leader. This has been an amazing time, and I’ve met so many fantastic families. It’s really made me think about what is important to my family and the needs of children in general. 

As well as teaching Early years / primary-aged children, we have run successful local toddler groups in the area. Stephanie ran Banham Toddlers during Covid, and Vickie recently ran Tea and Tots in East Harling. Between us, we have also led phonic workshops, offered maths and literacy tuition, and supported parents in education.

Our environment is calm and inviting. It's a haven for parents where they can meet other like-minded families, grab a coffee and have quality time with their children.